“We're living at a most fragile time,” Schultz told CBS, according to transcripts. “Not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics.”

In other parts of the interview first reported by The Atlantic, Schultz is questioned by CBS anchor Scott Pelley on whether he will run for president, and confirms he is considering an independent bid while stopping short of a full announcement.

The billionaire businessman left the executive position at Starbucks last year, while not giving a reason at the time for his departure. In an interview at the time, Schultz suggested that a CEO with international experience such as himself would be more qualified to serve than the head of a private company.

"There is a very big difference between someone who has run a global enterprise like myself, who has traveled to China probably more than any other CEO in the last 10 years, and who understands those issues, versus someone who has run a private company with very little fiduciary responsibilities to other shareholders," Schultz said last June.

“I’ll be thinking about a range of options for myself, from philanthropy to public service, but I’m a long way from knowing what the future holds,” he added at the time.